EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings rookie defensive
end Erasmus James has faced his share of hazing this season, but it
may have come to a head on Thursday.
Several veterans dipped James' shirt and two pair of his jeans
into cold water, then left them outside in the frigid air to freeze
solid.
Depending on who was asked, James was either being taught a
lesson for parking too close to the building and taking up a spot
normally reserved for veteran players, as Pat Williams said, or for
having a messy locker, as Bryant McKinnie said.
"I told him to move his truck, he didn't move it!" Williams
shouted in between belly laughs in the Vikings locker room.
To make matters worse, an ESPN crew was in town to tape a
segment on the Vikings' turnaround. The veterans, including
Jermaine Wiggins, Darrion Scott and Lance Johnstone took that
opportunity to razz James even further with the cameras rolling.
"He's always messing up everybody's locker with his stuff,"
McKinnie said.
A crowd of reporters and players gathered around James as the
veterans grilled him, eliciting laughter and cat calls.
James appeared to be furious at the prank, which compounded the
problems further. When a reporter tried to interview him, the
crestfallen rookie batted the microphone away, and sat shaking his
head and muttering under his breath while being bombarded with
jokes and heckling from his teammates.
"He's going to cry when he gets home," Williams teased.<
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GOING WAY BACK:@ Coach Mike Tice will be facing an old friend
when the St. Louis Rams come to town on Sunday.
Joe Vitt is filling in for Rams coach Mike Martz while he
recovers from endocarditis, a bacterial infection of the lining of
the heart. Vitt was the strength coach in Seattle when Tice was a
tight end with the Seahawks.
"We were together for 10 years," Vitt said. "He was really a
smart player. He's got a great background and he's really a bright
guy, which I don't think too many people know. He's meticulous with
his work habits."
The Seahawks' players voted Tice the winner of the team's Ed
Block Courage Award in 1986, given annually to a player on the team
who shows courage and overcomes adversity on or off the field.
Upon receiving the award, Tice immediately gave it to Vitt, who
was dealing with some adversity of his own in a battle with
testicular cancer. The gesture resonates with Vitt to this day.
"I was going through cancer and he turned around and presented
it to me," Vitt recalled. "Very touching, very nice."<
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SMOOT UPDATE:@ Tice said cornerback Fred Smoot continued to
progress in his recovery from a broken collarbone, which has caused
him to miss the last four games.
Tice and defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell said Smoot would
likely play in the nickel and dime packages on Sunday against the
Rams to ease him back into the lineup.
"I know he wants to go in and play 70 plays, but playing 70
plays after being out five or six weeks is not the smart thing to
do, so we'll ease him back in and sooner than later he'll be back
in his (starting) spot," Tice said.
Smoot has been practicing with a special brace under his
shoulder pads to protect the injured area.<
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OTHER BUMPS AND BRUISES:@ Running backs Mewelde Moore and
Michael Bennett are dealing with minor injuries that aren't
expected to keep them out of the game against the Rams.
Bennett sprained his ankle when he slipped on the ice outside
his home and Moore bruised his right quad and had to leave practice
early on Thursday.
"Michael is doing great," Tice said. "I don't think that
ankle will affect him at all."
Trainer Chuck Barta said Moore's injury was minor and he was
listed as probable for the game.
Defensive tackle Kevin Williams did not practice again on
Thursday and is listed as doubtful while he recovers from a
sprained knee suffered two weeks ago.
Linebacker Heath Farwell (knee) practiced some on Thursday and
said he is still getting used to playing with a bulky brace on his
left knee. He hopes to be ready to go on Sunday.<